


The First Time (Like The Trembling Heart)

by orphan_account



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Caring Arthur, Cuddling & Snuggling, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, Feels, Female Arthur Pendragon, Female Merlin, Fluff, Gentle Kissing, Gentle Sex, Kissing, Lingerie, Love, Love Confessions, Naked Cuddling, Names Not Changed, Neck Kissing, Post-Coital Cuddling, Protective Arthur, Romantic Fluff, Sexual Tension, Sleepy Cuddles, Virgin Merlin, Women's Underwear, so many feels, so much love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-16
Updated: 2016-12-16
Packaged: 2018-09-08 23:24:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8867470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Arthur looks at her across the room, and smiles, a warm tender smile like sunshine. And she comes across the room, lamplight gleaming off her skin, and stops when she is within arm's reach of Merlin.
She stretches out her hand, and her voice is gentle when she says, 'Come here?'





	

**Author's Note:**

> Title from _The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face_ by Roberta Flack. That's the soundtrack for the whole fic, if you want one; it fits.

Merlin hesitates by the door, adjusting the hang of her silky blue robe with trembling fingers. She’s wearing her new bra and panties underneath, white with delicate blue embroidery. They’re so pretty, the prettiest ones she owns, and she’s fresh from the shower, clean and fragrant and smooth with sweet cinnamon body lotion.

Her hand is shaking, resting on the door handle; she watches it. Just turn the handle, she thinks – and does it, swallowing in her throat.

* * *

Arthur is standing, waiting for her. Arthur is not wearing a robe. She stands there, proud and firm, smooth golden shoulders and round perfect breasts disappearing into black lace and the intoxicatingly curved line of her hips; and Merlin feels frantic and a little dizzy, suddenly, wanting to touch and stroke and _taste_. But – but…

And Arthur looks at her across the room, and smiles, a warm tender smile like sunshine. And she comes across the room, lamplight gleaming off her skin, and stops when she is within arm’s reach of Merlin.

She stretches out her hand, and her voice is gentle when she says, ‘Come here?’

* * *

Merlin _wants_ , she wants and wants, and yet she is still afraid. But there is Arthur’s familiar hand, warm and soft and steady; and Arthur’s eyes are very tender, and Arthur is waiting for Merlin to take that last step, into her arms. So Merlin breathes in courage with a quick intake of breath, and comes forward.

And Arthur’s arms come around her immediately, safe and comforting, drawing Merlin close, one hand making soothing circles on her back, the other stroking her hair. ‘Oh, sweetheart,’ she says softly. ‘Oh, my darling. So brave and lovely.’

Merlin takes a hitching breath of relief, her face nestled against Arthur’s neck, inhaling Arthur’s soft sweet scent like oxygen; and she feels Arthur’s head bend over hers and kiss her hair.

* * *

Arthur slips the blue robe from Merlin’s shoulders with gentle reverent hands; she lays Merlin on the bed, coaxing her with light caresses and nudges and soft words of praise.

‘Like that, yes, darling, just like that… shh, just relax for me, sweet… it’s alright, you’re so lovely, so good, there you go…’ Arthur murmurs, and she smiles down at Merlin with her eyes full of light and love.

And Merlin can’t help the tiny shudder and half-sob that comes out of her, because Arthur’s so brilliant, so golden and wonderful, and she doesn’t know how she can be so lucky as to have all of this. To have Arthur here, leaning over her with her soft waves of golden hair teasing and tickling the white curve of Merlin’s shoulder, looking at her as though she’s seeing right into the centre of Merlin’s heart and loving it. Merlin sucks in another quivering breath.

‘Hey,’ Arthur soothes, ‘hey, shh, it’s alright. Look at me. It’s alright.’ She touches Merlin’s face; runs her thumb over Merlin’s cheekbone, gentle as moth-wings, tracing the line where a tear might track down to her lips. Her thumb coaxes at the corner of Merlin’s mouth, rubbing lightly, until Merlin’s lips part with a little gasping breath of air.

And then Arthur leans and brings her smiling lips down to curve about Merlin’s own, kissing softly, her mouth alive and humming. Her tongue is warm and stroking, licking very gently into Merlin’s mouth, unbearably tender. It makes a quivering knot of emotion form in Merlin’s belly, which palpitates and curls deliciously, relentlessly downwards towards the soft sensitive places between Merlin’s legs.

Merlin writhes a little and whimpers, her arms slipping around Arthur to grip her with shaking hands. She wants to bring Arthur closer, draw into Arthur’s warmth, and she has an odd hazy fantasy of melting into Arthur’s smooth skin until their hearts are beating in the same space.

Arthur’s mouth trails over Merlin’s jawline to the curve of her throat, kissing there soft and closed-mouthed for a moment. Then – oh, and then, her lips part, and there’s warmth, dampness, Arthur sucking gently, almost carefully.

Merlin can’t stop herself – her body quivers as she hears the soft sounds Arthur’s lips are making on her skin; and she feels them smile against her. ‘All right?’ Arthur whispers, pulling back a little, and her lips are soft and parted and wet.

‘Yes – yes,’ Merlin husks, and Arthur grins bright and unrestrained, and reaches to stroke Merlin’s hair back from her face.

‘You little – _darling_ ,’ she says softly, and Merlin swallows and blinks, because Arthur’s face – Arthur’s face is _shining_ , adoring. There’s a huge warm bubble in Merlin’s chest, rising and growing, because Arthur _loves_ her, and God, she loves Arthur too, more than she knows what to do with.

Arthur nuzzles at her cheek – and her mouth’s there again, sucking softly at Merlin’s bottom lip before pulling back. Merlin sort of whines at that, trying to chase Arthur’s mouth with her own; but Arthur soothes her with a hand stroking down her body, smoothing over the dip of her waist, the curve of her hip and thigh. ‘Hey, hey, shh-sh,’ she says, and then she’s moving, crawling away and over Merlin, her hands keeping contact, until she’s at Merlin’s back, spooning her from behind. Her arm wriggles under Merlin’s body to scoop her closer to Arthur’s soft chest.

‘Merlin,’ Arthur says in her ear, her voice tender, velvet; and Merlin shudders, wanting, _wanting_ … but Arthur is speaking again, a low reassuring murmur, her thumb stroking over Merlin’s collarbone. ‘Tell me – you have to tell me if it’s too much, if you want me to stop. Please?’

‘Nonono,’ Merlin gets out, breathless, and then, quickly, ‘I mean – yes, I’ll say, but – but, _please don’t stop_.’ She gasps then, because Arthur’s chuckling, nibbling her ear, her tongue tracing the shell in a way that makes Merlin’s brain stop working for a moment. There’s a high keening noise, and she realises that it’s her, her whole body sensitive and alive and feeling all the places where Arthur’s touching her.

She clamps tightly balled fists to her mouth, biting down. But then Arthur’s fingers are gently prising them away. ‘Hey, no, let me hear you, sweetheart,’ Arthur says; and then – and then, everything in front of Merlin’s eyes goes dizzy and unfocused, because Arthur’s fingers are trailing swiftly down, down, _oh God please_ , down lower and lower till they brush at the lace band of her pants.

She’s quivering, helpless, begging ‘pleaseplease Arthur, _please_ ,’ and Arthur kisses her temple.

‘Like that – do you?’ she murmurs, and her fingers slip just beneath the lace, running along Merlin’s stomach. Then they’re slipping out, moving to Merlin’s thigh, tracing the edge of the panties down between Merlin’s legs; and Arthur’s thumb presses gently at the damp spot there.

Merlin cries out at that, a tiny sharp sound, her body jerking; Arthur holds her and rocks a little, whispering sweetness into her ear: ‘Oh, darling, so _beautiful_ , God, I can’t believe – can’t believe you’re real, sometimes, Merlin, you little _lovely_ thing, oh sweetheart, I’m going to make you feel so good, so good, oh, _God_ I love you, I love you.’

Then Arthur’s tugging them both over a little, so Merlin’s half lying back across Arthur’s chest, Arthur’s hand freed from under her. Arthur’s lifting Merlin, quickly unsnapping the bra. She slides it off Merlin’s willing arms, and then Merlin’s not thinking any more, because Arthur’s hands are stroking across her breasts, cupping and smoothing. Arthur caresses the soft underside with a single knuckle, and Merlin makes a little soft noise; there’s a finger circling delicately at her nipple – and then a sudden soft flick at the nub that makes Merlin see stars and arch her back with a little desperate sob.

‘I’ve got you, I’ve got you,’ Arthur whispers into her hair, ‘Going to feel so good,’ and then her hands are slipping down to Merlin’s hips, lifting them, hooking her thumbs into Merlin’s pants and stripping them downwards with a swift movement. There’s a frantic little flurry as Merlin kicks them off her legs; and then, oh God, Arthur’s hands are everywhere, stroking Merlin’s hips and thighs and stomach as though she can’t stop, making little moaning noises into Merlin’s hair.

Merlin’s shaking, now, everything pooling together in _need_ at the soft juncture of her legs. Arthur’s kissing her face, her temple; and Merlin turns her head as Arthur stretches to reach her, so that their lips move together again, the kiss soft and quivery and indefinably comforting.

And then, _God and then_ , Arthur’s fingers skate across Merlin’s stomach and sink softly into the dark curls below, seeking, seeking; and Merlin cries out, small and bitten-off and wondering. Arthur’s fingers – Arthur’s _fingers_ – warm and moving, dipping into the yielding wetness of Merlin’s centre. Arthur’s fingers tracing slowly along the supple folds, stroking, worshipping.

Merlin arcs into the touch, letting out little choked whimpers and tiny cries of need, of pleasure. Arthur’s kissing her face, her temple, little peppering kisses like she can’t stop. And her fingers slip out and up, and finallyfinally _finally_ find Merlin’s little soft hooded place where all her _wanting_ centres.

It’s like something explodes in Merlin’s head, explodes into bright colours and flashes and delight. It feels – _God_ , it feels, it feels! And – and Arthur’s fingers are moving, _perfect_ , rubbing, everything radiating from the wonderful mindblowing little circular movement, bewildering pleasure spreading and washing under Merlin’s skin as she writhes against Arthur, sobbing.

Then Arthur holds her tight and her fingers press a little more firmly; Merlin loses her voice, sound catching in her throat as she flings her head back on Arthur’s shoulder, hips jerking helplessly. For a few frantic moments she’s surfing the beautiful knife-edge of the brink, and then she hears herself make a tiny soft desperate noise, and tips over the edge.

* * *

Arthur’s cuddling her, running fingers through her hair, murmuring soft reassurances into Merlin’s ear as she shudders and quakes and rides it out; Arthur’s steady fingers on her guide Merlin through her pleasure and over to the other side. And when Merlin goes soft and boneless and wrung out, Arthur’s fingers stay, pressing gently, holding her through the exhausted little aftershocks.

‘I love you,’ Arthur whispers, ‘God, I love you so much, Merlin.’

Merlin flops over, clumsy and still trembling, to press her face into Arthur’s neck, catching her breath against Arthur’s soft skin, nestling there as Arthur’s arms wrap around her body. And Arthur’s face is wet against her temple, so Merlin reaches up to touch it; she surprises a little sniffle out of Arthur.

Merlin’s face is damp, too, her breath hitching. Arthur nuzzles her face, dropping little gentle kisses on Merlin’s forehead, in her tangled hair. And Merlin cuddles close and whispers, soft as a breath, a promise, ‘I love you too.’

**Author's Note:**

> And the first time ever I kissed your mouth  
> I felt the earth move in my hand  
> Like the trembling heart of a captive bird...
> 
> And the first time ever I lay with you  
> I felt your heart so close to mine  
> And I knew our joy would fill the earth  
> And last 'til the end of time, my love.
> 
> _The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face_ , Roberta Flack
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed this! Please let me know what you thought in the box below. :)


End file.
